playlightlyfandomcom-20200214-history
Revise the Senate
The Constitution of the United States originally provided the States a voice in the federal government. Senators were elected by State legislatures and governors. The Seventeenth Amendment altered the Constitution, providing for the direct election of Senators by the Citizens.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seventeenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution The States now have no representation in the federal government. Not only that, time has shown that the States need representation in the Executive and Judicial Branches to check the power of the President and Supreme Court. A new Constitutional Amendment is needed to restore balance. Qualifications Senators must be at leaast 30 years old. Senators must have been born citizens of the United States. Senators must be inhabitants of the State they wish to represent, residing there at least three months of every year. The Senate will be the sole judge of a Senator's qualifications. Members Per State and Term Limits Each State will be represented by six Senators. The Senators will be divided into three classes with two Senators per class. Term limits will be six years, staggered so that two Senators are elected on each even numbered year. Since the current number of States is 50, the Senate will total 300 members. The two members per class will allow States to have split representation. Appointment The governor will nominate three people to be candidates for the Senate. The legislature will have 30 days in which to choose two Senators from the three candidates. If the legislature has not chosen two from the list of candidates, the governor will then choose two from the list. Recall and Vacancies A Senator can be recalled from the Senate upon the agreement of the governor and two-thirds of the legislature. The office will then be vacant. The governor will fill any vacancies by nominating two new candidates for the legislature to choose from. The legislature will have 30 days to choose one Senator from the two nominees. If the legislature fails to choose, the governor will then choose one from the list. The new Senator will not serve a six year term, but will complete the term of the vacancy. Re-election No Senator may serve consecutive terms. At least one full year must expire before an ex-Senator may be nominated to again be Senator. Vice President The Vice President will no longer have a function in the Senate. Powers The Senate will continue to have most powers granted to it specificly by the Constitution. However, it will no longer be part of Congress. It will no longer have the power to originate bills. (Bills may be suggested to Congress.) Instead it will be vested with veto powers. Advise and Consent The Senate shall continue to have the powere vested in it by Article II, Section 2, paragraph 2 of the United States Constitution: : President shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the Supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advice_and_consent Impeachment Power The Senate shall have the power to try impeachments of the House of Representatives. Makeup of the Senate during the 112th Congress The party composition of the Senate during the 112th Congress (since January 3, 2011):http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate#Current_party_standings By political party 51 Democrat Party 47 Republican Party 02 Independent By State 16 States = 2 Democrats 17 States = split Democrat/Republican 15 States = 2 Republican 02 States = split Democrat/Independent Category:Constitutional Amendments Category:Senate